It’s not a beautiful day in this neighborhood for Jack Quaid as the hapless Simon McNally, a paranoid schizophrenic who is struggling to adjust to daily life following a prolonged stay in a mental institution. Ed Deerman (Jeffery Dean Morgan), on the other hand, a retired security guard, has alienated those around him and lives an embittered life with a chip on his shoulder. These two characters on society’s fringe join forces for the greater good in Neighborhood Watch – a new release crime-thriller available from today, October 22nd.
Unlike the annoyance of having to constantly change the “our” in Neighbourhood to “or” for the title’s American spelling, Neighborhood Watch is a rather light viewing despite its sinister plot which revolves around the broad daylight abduction of a young woman witnessed by Simon. It’s a film that reflects the post-COVID world, where people have become more disconnected and there’s a tendency to look upon others with distrust or caution. Simon seeks out his neighbor, Ed, simply out of desperation, as Simon’s mental state had discredited him with the police. As such most of the film’s real mystery involves our trust in our protagonist, and whether or not the crime he witnessed actually occurred.
Our two reluctant heroes have good chemistry, and their generation divide, while a little stereotypical, does make for some funny moments of levity. You could almost call Neighborhood Watch a dark comedy, which it certainly is at times. While both men clearly have a troubled past, the film does not take a detour to explore the events that shaped them into who they are. There’s enough on the surface for the audience to draw their own conclusion. I enjoyed the film much more than I expected and found myself bonding with the protagonists, who manage to heal themselves in some small measure while selflessly trying to save a life.
Neighborhood Watch is available to Rent or Buy on Digital at Apple TV, Prime Video, Google TV, YouTube, Fetch (AU), Foxtel Store (AU), SKY Store (NZ), and Neon (NZ). Own it on DVD at JB Hi-Fi and Sanity through Defiant Screen Entertainment!
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
(2025, director: Duncan Skiles)
★★★★
production stills courtesy of Walkden Publicity
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